The 'ShipCraft' series provides in-depth information about building and modifying model kits of famous warship types. Lavishly illustrated, each book takes the modeller through a brief history of the subject class, highlighting differences between sister-ships and changes in their appearance over their careers. This includes paint schemes and camouflage, featuring colour profiles and highly-detailed line drawings and scale plans. The modelling section reviews the strengths and weaknesses of available kits, lists commercial accessory sets for super-detailing of the ships, and provides hints on modifying and improving the basic kit. This is followed by an extensive photographic gallery of selected high-quality models in a variety of scales, and the book concludes with a section on research references – books, monographs, large-scale plans and relevant websites.

This volume includes all the features of the regular series but the extent has been doubled to include far more detailed drawings of a class of ship that was built in huge numbers and in many variations. Mainstay of the Atlantic battle against the U-boats, Flower class corvettes were used by the British, Canadian, French and US Navies.

John Lambert and Les Brown have teamed up to produce this book from Seaforth Publishing. Although supposedly to assist modellers this book goes far beyond that and provides one of the best reference books in print, about the Flower Class Corvettes of WW2. It covers these vital ships of WW2 from the first realisation of the need for such ships, the concept and design process. There are numerous drawings covering not only the intended design, but the great variety of difference...s that occurred through them being built in a wide range of non-naval ship yards. Differences in bridge layout (In particular) did distinguish many of the class and these are covered with a creditable diligence from early ships right up to the end of service. There is discussion on accommodation as well as the other issues the reader might look for, such as machinery, armament, radar and so forth. Indeed I would have to say that the coverage of the Radar Type 271 is extremely well done as well as lavishly illustrated through the different types of ' lantern ' fitted to protect it. I confess that despite my own extensive research I was unaware that the door to the set faced forward on early models and let in so much water they had to use duck boards in the cramped compartment. When I can say, after all these years, that I have learnt something new about these ships, I am delighted and impressed by the research the authors have done. There is a central section on models available, scratch building and conversions that I'm sure modellers will welcome. But even for those who are not modellers, the section does give additional views on these ships. That is followed by a few pages of full colour camouflage examples that I naturally enjoyed, although I thought I would rather have heard some discussion on them even if it meant cutting down on the display of model kit brands. They are presented without discussion. The book then moves on to list every corvette ever built. Following that is a section with drawings of various equipment from boats to Carley floats etc. Right throughout, the book is lavishly illustrated and many photographs were not known to me, despite many years of my own research.
This book is excellent value for money and highly commended not just to the ship modellers, but also very much so to naval enthusiasts who wish to have a historically accurate and detailed reference book to add to their library.
I am delighted to give it ***** five stars.

Malcolm Wright, Australian Maritime Artist & Author

If you are interested in [the Matchbook model of the Flower Class] then this is the book I suggest you really should have on your bookshelf.

Military Modelling

This book, a special edition of the ShipCraft series, includes numerous additional features of interest to the maritime enthusiast. It begins the design concepts for the corvette, examining the alternatives and the original specifications o the boat, before going on to look at the various modifications applied, including the Canadian versions. additionally in this edition, the construction and deployment dates of each ship are recorded, as well as their eventual fates.
The modelling section of the book is extensive, including not just tips on building, but reviews of the model kits available, and the numerous photographs and advice to help the reader distinguish the individual 'Flowers' from each other. A showcase of exceptionally well-assembled ships is included, to both assist readers in assembling their own ship model and demonstrate the model-making talent in the field today. An excellent guide to an important ship in the Second World War, for modeller and maritime enthusiasts alike.

The Nautical Magazine - April 2009

About John Lambert

For many years JOHN LAMBERT has been known for his highly detailed plans of smaller warships, their armament and fittings, but he has also produced a number of books written around these plans, most recently two ‘ShipCraft Specials’, on Flower Class Corvettes and Allied Torpedo Boats.